Via Christi lays off 28 employees in Pittsburg

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — Via Christi Health Systems says it is laying off 28 employees in Pittsburg as part of a statewide effort to cut costs.

The heath system in Pittsburg includes the hospital, physician offices and care facilities.

Via Christi spokesman Michael Hayslip says the layoffs will help meet a goal of reducing expenses in Pittsburg by $3.5 million. He says cost reductions in contractual services helped prevent even more layoffs. And 25 open positions will not be filled.

The Pittsburg Morning Sun reports (http://bit.ly/12qWuDl ) that Hayslip says that the layoffs were spread across several areas but he did not have a specific breakdown of which departments were effected.